Clothes washer



Sept. 14, 1943. E. D. JUDY 2,329,623

CLOTHES WASHER Filed Oct. 24, 1939 if y: fi L YVENTOR- irnes/ 0. Em 6'k;

A TTORNEY Patent d Se aii, j

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Ernest n. Judy, Poi-t Wash. mentiof one-third to Henry 8. Labiaky, set'ue. Wash.

. Application October 24, 1939, Serial No. 300,951 I Claims. (Cl.88-181) This invention relates to clothes washers.

An object of this invention is to provide an eiilcient and inexpensiveportable clothes washer especially designed for washing infants garmentssuch as diapers and like apparel.

Another object is to provide a clothes washer of 7 this type which hasmeans for supporting it over a water closet bowl and which has dischargemeans positioned to discharge into thebowl and Fig. 6 is a fragmentaryelevation showing an application of spring means instead of weight meansfor counterbalancing a valve.

the cover.

Fig. '7 is a fragmentary sectional view showing a modified form ofcontainer and cover therefor and showing water jet delivery meansconnected with the side of the container instead of with Fig. 8 is afragmentary sectional view of a adapted for the continuous discharge ofwater modified form of clothes washer in which the and solids that arewashed or rinsed out of the clothes are caused by the force of the waterjets clothes in the washer. to rotate or tumble about a substantiallyhori- Another object is to provide a clothes washer zontal axis. of thist pe that is free from agitators and like Fi 9 al as e t y sectional vanother mechanical operating parts and in which the 16 modified form ofthe invention in which the clothes are washed and rinsed and agitated inclothes rotate about a horizontal axis. the washer solely by the actionof one or more Like f ee n m r ls d s n like Part Jets of waterdelivered into the washer in such a sh t the v l vl wsmanner as toimpart a rotary or tumbling motion This elethes Washer comprises areceptacle to th clothes th r in, having side walls It, a bottom H, anda remov- Another object of the invention is, to provide a eble coverclothes washer of this type having a discharge The bottom h s 1 p n trein th t v'alve normally adapted to b opened by water communicates withthe interior of a sump l4. pressure within the machine but which may beThe opening it is p r ly p sitioned to one ,fastened in a clos dposition if d i d, side of the center of the receptacle. The sumpAnother obj t i to provide means for se1ec I4 is preferably of smallerdiameter at the lower tiveLv directing Jets of water of different sizeinto end and has n xp n upper end po ion the washer. that registers withthe opening I3. Preferably a 'Another object is to provide a clotheswasher eeerse screen I. r e s d member. is proof this type that may beused as a receptacle to vided over the opening I 3 to prevent pieces ofreceive soiled garments which may then be con- Cloth 111 1the machinefrom pp into the veniently washed in aid receptacle th t fursump. I findthat a screen ii of about one inch ther handling and without mixing themwith mesh' is suitable h p p other clothes, and further, to provide aclothes A flap valve ll ns a gasket H or sealing washer of this ty thsanitary and t 5 material such as rubber is secured to a lever tiallyodor proof h in arm l8 and adapted to close the lower end of the Otherobjects will be apparent from the followum M The lever m I8 s pi y hingeing descri tio an appended 1 m means I! to the housing of the sump M.The In the accompanying drawing: outer end of the lever arm i8 isconnectedby a Figure 1 is a view in vertical section I of ap v t 20 withan upright rod 2i that extends clothes washer constructed in accordancewith through a leeeely fitting guide 12 end as th invention, parts beingshown in e1eVat1pn weight member 2 3 removably threaded onto the Fi 2 isa plan view looking down on the same upper end Portion A 1001.! B 24 isY in the direction indicated by arrows z of provided to hold the weightmember 23 in difier- 1. ent adjusted positions. 25 is a spring latchmem- Fig. 8 is a fragmentary view partly i plan ber secured to the upperend portion of the weight and partly in section taken substantiallymember 23 and adapted to be engaged beneath a broken line 3-4 of Fig. l.lug 26 on the side III of the washer. When the Fig. 4 is a fragmentarysectional view on a clothes washer is in use the spring latch member 1larger scale than Fig. 1, taken substantially on i w l r inarily bedisenga d as r spe ts the broken line 4-4 of Fig. 2 and showing waterJet lu 6 and t e rod 2| w ll be f to move up control means. and down toallow the flap valve l6 to be opened Fig. 5 is a sectional view onbroken line H by the pressure of the water thereon. If the of Fig. 4.spring latch member 2! is manually engaged with the lug 26 the valve l6will be held closed thus preventing any discharge from the sump M.

The head of water required to open the valve IE will depend on theweight of the member 23 and different weights may be used in accordancewith the head to be maintained. Adjustment of weight member 23 up anddown on rod 2| provides for positioning the spring latch 25 so that thevalve |6 will be held tightly closed when the latch member 25 is engagedunder the lug 26.

In Fig. 6, I have shown a tension spring 41 applied to the flap valve ISin such a manner as to yieldingly urge said valve closed and at the sametime allow said valve to be opened by a predetermined water pressure.

To facilitate supporting this clothes washer on a water closet bowl sothat the discharge from the sump [4 will be into the bowl, a bracket 21of inverted U shape and two other brackets 28 of inverted L shape areprovided at angularly spaced intervals on the bottom H of thereceptacle. A fragment of a water closet bowl 29 is shown in Fig. 1. TheU shaped bracket 21 fits over the front portion of this bowl 29 and theL shaped brackets 28 engage within and rest on said bowl. These brackets21 and 28 serve as legs to support the washer when it is placed on aflat surface.

Devices are provided for directing one or more jets of water into theclothes receptacle in a downwardly inclined generally tangentialdirection to thereby loosen up and agitate the clothes and to impart arotary movement to the clothes in the clothes receptacle. These jetdevices preferably include means for selectively directin water jets inopposite directions to provide for reversing the direction of travel ofthe clothes.

Various different types of jet control means may be used. One type thatI have operated successfully is shown in Figs. 1, 2, 4 and 5. Itcomprises a semi-spherical shell 30 secured to the under side of thecover |2 in registration with an opening 3| in said cover. The opening3| communicates with a fitting member 32 on the outer side of the cover.The shell 30 and fitting member 32 are welded or soldered or otherwisefixedly secured to the cover l2. A flexible liquid conduit hose 33 isprovided for connecting the fitting 32 with a source of supply of waterunder pressure as with a faucet 34.

Another semi-spherical shell member 35 is mounted for oscillation on theshell 30 by suitable pivot means such as rivet 36 and is adapted to beangularly moved by a lever 3'! that engages with an arm 38 on the shell35. The lever 31 has a fulcrum portion 39 pivoted in the cover I2 andhas a. handle portion 40 external to the cover by which it may be turnedto oscillate the outer shell 35 on the inner shell 30. Stop means 4| isprovided for limiting angular movement of the lever in both directions.

Two larger jet openings 42 are provided in the shell members 3|] and 35at one side of a plane passing through the center of the shell members Iand the center of the receptacle, see Figs. 4 and 5,

and two smaller jet openings 43 are provided in said shell members atthe opposite side of said plane. Angular movement of shell member 35will selectively position either set of jet openings in registration andwill close the other set of let openings. When jet openings 42 are inregistration they will direct a jet of water at a downward angle and ina generally tangential direction into the clothes receptacle to producerotation of water and clothes in one direction. Similarly,

when jet openings 43 are in registration and jet openings 42 closed ajet of water will be directed at a downward incline and tangentially inan opposite general direction to produce rotation of the water andclothes in an opposite direction. The openings 42 and 43 preferablyarepositioned so that when the shell member 35 is moved from oneposition to the other position one set of said openings will begin toopen before the other set of said openings is completely closed therebypreventing the building up of high water pressures in the shell 30 andhose 33.

The lines along whichthe jets of water are directed may varyconsiderably as long as the jets are directed downwardly onto theclothes and sufliciently to one side of the center of the receptacle toproduce rotation of the water and clothes.

Directing the water downwardly helps to drive solids to the bottom ofthe receptacle. The water and clothes rotate about the upright centralaxis of the receptacle and the sump I4 is positioned in the bottom andpreferably at a point removed from the center and is in the path of thesolid matter which will tend to move toward the outer walls of thereceptacle and will collect in the sump.

Preferably the clothes receptacle is of less diameter at the top and sothat the rotating water will be less liable to tend to spill over thetop of said receptacle. Also the cover l2 preferably has a gasket |2'that seats on the top edge of the receptacle and said cover is held downby suitable means such as a ball 44 on the receptacle that engages witha folding hold down member 45 on the cover as shown in Fig. 2.

A small air vent opening 46 is preferably provided in the cover l2 torelieve air pressure in the container.

In Fig. 7, I have shown certain modifications of the invention in whicha clothes receptacle 48, corresponding to the receptacle ||l|| of Figs.1 to 5, is provided at its upper end with a lip 49 that extends inwardlyand then downwardly to form a battle for intercepting water that tendsto rise along the side of the container and to provide means forreceiving a lid 50 which fits tightly therein and is retained in placeby friction. Also Fig. '7, shows a jet control means, indicatedgenerally by 5|, carried by the upper portion of the receptacle insteadof by the cover. The jet control means 5| is not described in detail asit is similar to the jet control means of Figs. 1 to 5 except that theoperating lever is omitted and jet control means 5| is moved from oneposition to another by reaching into the receptacle 48 gtrasping thedevice with the fingers and adjusting In Fig. 8, I show a modified formof this washer comprising a receptacle 52 having a rounded bottomportion 53provided with a sump 54 that has a pressure operated dumpvalve 55. Water jet delivery means 55 are directed into the lowerportion of the receptacle 52 in such a manner that when one or more jetsof water are discharged therefrom the clothes and water in thereceptacle 52 will be given a rotary motion about a horizontal axis asindicated by the arrows and the clothes thereby agitated and washedwhile the 'solids together with water will be discharged from the valve55.

Fig. 9 shows a modified form of the invention similar to Fig. 8, exceptthat the bottom of the receptacle 58 thereof does not need to be roundedbut may be of any shape-and a jet means 59 is directed upwardly throughthe bottom of the receptacle 58, preferably .to one side of the centerof the same to produce rotation of the water and clothes as indicated bythe arrows.

In the operation of this clothes washer the soiled diapers or likearticles, usually each rolled or folded up, are placed in the clothesreceptacle and the washer positioned on a water closet bowl or the likeso that the discharge from the sump M will be taken care of. With thelatch member 25 disengaged and the proper water supply connections made,preferably cold water under pressure is first admitted to tumble andagitate the garments and loosen therefrom substantially all solidmatter. This solid matter will settle into the sump i4 and be dischargedpast the valve l8. Preferably the .larger Jet openings 42 are used firstand the smaller jet openings 43 may be used alternately with the largeropenings 42 to reverse the direction of movement of the clothes andwater in the receptacle. After washing in this way long enough to removeand discharge all solids, the cold water will be shut off, the cover I:removed, soap introduced into the clothes receptacle and hot wateradmitted through the smaller Jet openings to complete the washing. Allwash water may then be drained out of the clothes receptacle by manuallyholding the flap valve l6 open, after which the clothes may be rinsed byadmitting more water and will be ready to wring and dry when they aretaken out of the machine.

If it is desired to soak the clothes at any time the flap valve may belatched in a closed position and water introduced into the receptacle.

The washer will operate in substantially the same manner as hereinbeforedescribed if the jet control means enters through the side of theclothes receptacle, as shown in Fig. 7.

The washer shown in Fig. 8, operates in substantially the same mannerexcept that the clothes rotate about a horizontal axis.

The foregoing description and accompanying drawing clearly disclose apreferred embodiment of my invention but it will be understood that thisdisclosure is merely illustrative and that changes may be made withinthe scope and spirit of the following claims.

I claim:

1. A clothes washer for washing clothes carrying solid matter comprisinga clothes receptacle of generally cylindrical shape; water inlet meanspositioned to direct water into said clothes receptacle in a generallytangential direction to thereby set up and maintain a whirling motion ofthe water in said receptacle; a discharge opening in the bottom portionof said receptacle positioned in the path of the whirling water therein;a pressure operated discharge control valve for said discharge opening;and means yieldingly urging said discharge control valve closed wherebysaid discharge control valve will be opened by pressure of the waterthereon to provide for a discharge of solid matter carried by the water.

2. A clothes washer for washing clothes carrying solid matter comprisinga clothes receptacle of generally cylindrical shape; water inlet meanspositioned to direct water into said clothes receptacle in a generallytangential direction to thereby set up and maintain a whirling motion ofthe water in said receptacle; an open topped sump in the bottom portionof said receptacle near the periphery thereof in the path of solidmatter moving with the water in the lowermost peripheryward portion ofsaid receptacle, whereby and pressure operated discharge control valvemeans in thebottom portion of said sump arranged to be opened bypressure thereon of water in the receptacle to provide for discharge ofsolid matter from said sump during the operation of the washer.

3. A clothes washer for washing clothes carrying solid matter comprisinga clothes receptacle of generally cylindrical shape; water inlet meanspositioned to direct water in two substantially opposite generallytangential directions into the upper portion of said receptacle toselectively rotate liquids and solids in said receptacle first in onedirection and then in an opposite direction: control means for saidwater inlet means controlling the direction of the discharge of watertherefrom and thereby providing for reversal of the direction of whirlof the liquids and solids in said receptacle; an open topped sump in thebottom portion of said receptacle near the periphery thereof in the pathof solid matter moving with the water in the lowermost peripherywardportion of the receptacle whereby said solid matter will be caught insaid sump; a pressure operated discharge control valve in the bottomportion of said sump; and means yieldingly holding said dischargecontrol valve closed whereby said valve will be opened by pressurethereon of the water in said receptacle to provide for a discharge ofsolid matter therefrom.

4. A clothes washer for washing clothes carrying solid matter comprisinga clothes receptacle of generally cylindrical shape; water inlet meanspositioned to direct water in two substantially opposite generallytangential directions into the upper portion of said receptacle toselectively rotate liquids and solids in said receptacle first in onedirection and then in an opposite direction; control means for saidwater-inlet means controlling the direction of the discharge of watertherefrom and thereby providing for reversal of the direction ofmovement of the liquids and solids in said receptacle; a dischargeopening in the bottom portion of said receptacle near the peripherythereof in the path of movement of solid matter that is moving with thewater in the lowermost peripheryward portion of said receptacle; apressure operated discharge control valve for said discharge opening;and means yieldingly holding said discharge control valve closed wherebysaid discharge control valve will be opened by pressure thereon of thewater in said receptacle to provide for a discharge of solid matterduring the operation of the washer.

5. A clothes washer for washing clothes carrying solids comprising a tubof generally cylindrical shape; continuou water supply means constructedand arranged to impart rotary motion to the contents of said tub toseparate the solids from the clothes and cause said solids to moverotatively in the bottom portion of said tub adjacent the peripherythereof; an open topped sump in the bottom portion of said tub adjacentthe periphery thereof in the path of said rotatively moving solids; apressure operated discharge control valve for solids and water in thebottom portion of said sump; and yieldable valve closing meansyieldingly urging said pressure operated dischargecontrol valve closed,said valve closing means being yieldable to a pressure on said valve ofa head of water in said tub less than the depth of said tub providingfor the escape of solids past said valve and maintaining the water levelin said tub below the top of said said solid matter will be caught insaid sump; 76 tub. h

6. A clothes washer Ior washing clothes carrying solids comprising a tubor generally cylindrical shape; continuou water supply means constructedand arranged to impart rotary motion to the contents of said tub toseparate the solids from the clothes and cause said solids to settle tothe bottom or said tub and move rotatively therein near the periphery ofthe tub; a discharge opening in the bottom portion of said tub adjacentthe periphery thereof in the path of said rotatively moving solids; apressure operated discharge control valve for solids and waterpositioned to close said opening; and yieldable valve closing meansyieldingly urging said pressure operated'discharge control valve closed,said valve closing means being yieldable to a pressure on said valve ofa head 01' water in said tub less than the depth of said tub providingfor the escape of solids past said valve and maintaining the water levelin said tub below the top of said tub.

'7 A clothes washer for washing clothes carrying solids comprising a tubof generally cylindrical shape; continuous supply directionallyreversible water inlet means connected with said tub, constructed andarranged to impart reversible rotary motion to the contents or said tubto separate the solids from the clothes and to move said solidsrotatively in the bottom portion or the tub adiacent the peripherythereof; an open topped sump in the bottom portion of said tub adjacentthe periphery thereof in the path 01' said rotatively moving solids; apressure operated discharge control valve for solids and water in thebottom portion of said sump; and yieldable valve closing meansyieldingly urging said pressure operated discharge control valve closed,said valve closing means being yieldable to a pressure on said valve ofa head of water in said tub less than the depth or said tub providingfor the escape of solids past said valve and maintaining a water levelin said tub below the top of said tub.

ERNEST D. JUDY.

